APMiami Heat's LeBron James (6) prepares to shoot as Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce, right, defends in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Miami, Sunday, April 10, 2011. The Heat won 100-77.

For all intents and purposes, Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat was a playoff game, and the Boston Celtics couldn’t get themselves ready for it.

The Celtics have accomplished too much the last few years to be declared dead after a couple March and April losses, but something about this team seems different than other years. They look flat, and at times dissension has seeped in amongst Doc’s disciples.

Miami made a statement with the 100-77 victory, one, if the Celtics are lucky, will be ringing in their ears for the next few weeks because the way they played isn’t going to cut it once the playoffs start - where they are almost assured to be the three seed now that the Heat control their own destiny.

It’s easy to point at the big man situation, and place blame there. We all know that Jermaine O’Neal (12 minutes, zero points) is worthless, and Nenad Krstic (12 minutes, two points) isn’t much better. Getting Shaquille O’Neal back will help, but it’s still going to be their weakest position on the floor at any given time.

The problems are much deeper than that.

Ray Allen hasn’t had a 20-point performance since March 19 despite averaging more than 36 minutes in the 12 games since. It’s not for a lack of shots – he’s averaged 8.9 per game – he’s hasn’t been able to finish in the lane and far too often has shots blocked at the rim, as he did at least once Sunday.

Jeff Green has been wildly inconsistent, and is reluctant to assert himself in the offense. One night he’ll look fantastic, the next he’s absent. On Thursday at Chicago, he scored 10 points and was one of the stronger players on the court. Sunday, he gave 19 empty minutes, scoring four points.

“There’s so many good players, you feel selfish taking shots when you look around at all the options,” Green explained after a win over Philadelphia last week.

That’s an admirable attitude, but it isn’t going to work. He needs to be aggressive, the team went out and got him to be the leader of the second unit, not to wilt up in the presence of their star.